Harris, Walter 'Wally (IWM interview)

British NCO served with Light Aid Detachment, Royal Army Ordnance Corps attached to 168 Bde in GB, 1939-1941; served with LAD, RAOC/Royal Electrical and Mechanical Engineers attached to 90th Field Regt, Royal Artillery in GB, Iraq, Egypt and Sicily in GB and North West Europe, 1941-1944

REEL 1 Recollections of background in Paddington, London, 1920-1939: social background; education; Boys Brigade activities and drill competitions; sporting activities; work as office boy; work as railway van boy; work as assistant fitter with taxi firm and car showrooms; night school classes. Recruitment and training with Royal Army Ordnance Corps at Duke of York Barracks, Chelsea, 4/1939-9/1939: recruitment procedure; drill night; map reading; summer tented camp at Beaulieu, 6/1939 including outdoor training, acting as bugler and route marches; approach of war, call up, 1/9/1939. Period at RAOC workshops, 1st London Div at Mill Hill Barracks, ca 1939-1940: billets; limited equipment and vehicles; learning to drive Thorneycroft lorry; rifle training; trade tests as fitter. REEL 2 Continues: trade tests; renaming as 56th Div. Recollections of periods with Light Aid Detachment, Headquarters, 168 Bde in London, Kent, Sussex and Suffolk, ca 1940-1941: composition, role and vehicles of LAD; use of own tools; requisitioned vehicles; nature of exercises and convoy driving; movements; situation following evacuation of Dunkirk, 6/1940; equipment with Morris recovery vehicle; requisition of garages as workshops; rescue of crashed civilian vehicle as exercise; relationship with ORs, NCOs and officers; exercises; promotion to corporal; question of NCO messes; background of Battle of Britain and story of capturing bailed out ME109 pilot at Elham, 1940; visits to crashed aircraft and salvage of machine gun. REEL 3 Continues: story of being charged by police after motorcycle accident. Recollections of period with LAD, Regimental Headquarters, 90th Field Regt, Royal Artillery in GB, ca 1941-1942: posting on promotion to sergeant; requisitioned vehicles and 18pdr guns; problems with cold weather and thawing frozen vehicles; role of battery fitters; composition of LAD; role of driver fitters; assisting in repair of airfield bomb damage; briefing at Headquarters, 168 Bde; development of training programme; re-equipment with 25pdrs, Quad gun towers and limbers; fuel pump problem; firing exercise at Lark Hill range, Salisbury Plain; opinion of Colonel Hardie and officers; preparations for overseas service including medical, visit by George VI, tropical kit, embarkation leave and marriage. Voyage aboard California to Capetown, South Africa, 10/1942: convoy; submarine precautions; role as NCO; conditions; 'bumboats' at Freetown. REEL 4 Continues: disembarkation at Capetown. Voyage aboard Niew Amsterdam to Port Suez, Egypt, 10/1942: role as NCO and story of catching party of NCOs breaking ship's regulations; recreations. Journey to Kirkuk, Iraq, 11/1942: losses of transport routed via Mediterranean; precautions against civilians stealing equipment; breakdowns and use of recovery vehicle; necessity of fitting air filter to motorcycles; story of retrieving broken down Quad. Period at Kirkuk, 11/1942-3/1942: situation; film shows; winter conditions and methods of keeping warm; Christmas celebrations, 25/12/1942; use of water tank vehicle; dangerous roads; training exercises; return to Egypt. Period at Tel el Kabir Camp, 3/1943-6/1943: transfer of 168 Bde to 50 Div; question of waterproofing vehicles and landing exercises; conditions of service; recreations and visits to Cairo. REEL 5 Continues: re-badging on formation of Royal Electrical and Mechanical Engineers; hospitalisation with diphtheria; courses in German mines and booby traps; transfer of 168 Bde to 50 Div and question of assault training; move into sealed camps; role aboard freighter carrying guns and transport in Alexandria harbour; story of nearly drowning sea swimming. Aspects of operations in Sicily, 7/1943-11/1943: prior briefing; sea crossing in convoy; German air raid on ships off Syracuse, 10/7/1943; disembarkation at Syracuse, 13/7/1943; introduction to instant coffee from US ship's engineer; situation on landing and reserve role of unit; action at Primosole Bridge and advance to Catania; effects of German flame thrower; German sniper platforms; role of LAD personnel at wagon lines; problem with faulty ammunition and premature shell bursts; question of unsympathetic attitude of medical NCO to shell shock; shortage of ammunition lorries; mosquito and malaria precautions; firing barrage across Messina Straits; news of return of 50 Div to GB; relationship with Sicilian civilians; story of buying gift for wife; alarm caused by aircraft crash landing on Mount Etna. REEL 6 Voyage back to GB, 11/1943. Period at Whittlesford Camp, ca 11/1943-5/1943: leave and story of being disciplined for not saluting officer; reactions to planned role on D Day; transfer of unit to 50 Div and return of 168 Bde to 56 Div; background to re-equipment and training with Sexton 25 pdr Self Propelled guns; Sherman tank observation parties; re-organisation of LADs and posting as sergeant to LAD of 465 Bty; informal retraining in armoured fighting vehicles; . Period in sealed camp in New Forest, 5/1944-6/1944: briefing in role of unit in firing from landing craft during approach to beach and delayed landing of LAD; question of waterproofing Sextons and vehicles; training exercises; embarkation on landing craft. Recollections of landing on Gold Beach, Normandy, France, 6/6/1944: Channel crossing; problems with deep water on landing; situation on beach; LAD vehicles and personnel; move inland and role of 465 Bty; return to beach and salvage of gun barrel and Browning machine gun subsequently fitted to jeep. REEL 7 Continues: salvage of extra Sexton from beach. Recollections of operation in Normandy, 6/1944-8/1944: effects of loss of experienced fitter; role of LAD; sleeping arrangements; shaving hair; compo food rations; water supply; camouflage; latrines; lack of LAD radio; necessity of changing track suspension bogies; use of German trailer on jeep; Sherman Chrysler engines; maintenance checks on Sextons; cleaning spark plugs at RAF workshops and near accident on landing strip; German air attacks and use of Browning; question of sentry precautions against German paratroopers; situation. Account of action at Mons en Pevelle, 3/9/1944: prior briefing and plan for advance to Brussels, Belgium; hold up at Pont Marcq. REEL 8 Continues: hold up at Pont Marcq and decision to bypass opposition; situation on approach to Mons en Pevelle and deployment of 357 Bty; repairing Sexton; discovery of German troops Mons en Pevelle; refusal of assistance by Sherman OP of 357 Bty; decision to use Browning in attack on German troops accompanied by Corporal Swan; mixed belt Browning ammunition; effect of firing Browning at German troops and explosion of half track carrying ammunition; retreat on German retaliation and burning hand on Browning; assisting wounded officer in Sherman; surrender of German troops; engagement between German anti-aircraft vehicle and 357 Bty; resumption of advance. Period at Brussels, 9/1944: reception from Belgian civilians, 4/9/1939; personnel morale; reorganisation of LAD; photographs; billets; rejoining 50 Div; situation. Aspects of Operation Market Garden, 9/1944-11/1944: prior briefing and plan; confusion illustrated by presence of German vehicles in convoy; story of coming under fire from Panther while salvaging from knocked out vehicles; situation at Nijmegen and muddy conditions on 'island'. REEL 9 Continues: billets at Nijmegen; German shell fire; failure of operations; reaction to disbandment of 50 Div, 11/1944; posting of unit to I Corps; posting on staff sergeants' course in GB; reaction to award of MM. Period at REME Technical School, Arborfield, 11/1944-3/1946: nature of course; promotion to staff sergeant; VE Day, 8/5/1945; role as instructor; reaction to increased discipline and 'bull'; demobilisation, 3/1946. Post-war career: initial problems on return to work as fitter at car dealers; reactions to war service.